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How Assisted Living Facilities Must Manage
Nutrition and Food Service
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Regulations Governing Nutrition and Food
Services in an
Assisted Living Residence*
(1) A person designated by the facility is responsible
for the total food service of the facility.
(2) At least three meals or their equivalent must be served
daily, at regular times, with no more than a 16-hour span
between a substantial evening meal and breakfast the
following morning. All exceptions must be specifically
approved by DADS.
(3) Menus must be planned one week in advance and must be
followed. Variations from the posted menus must be
documented. Menus must be prepared to provide a balanced and
nutritious diet, such as that recommended by the National
Food and Nutrition Board. Food must be palatable and varied.
Records of menus as served must be filed and maintained for
30 days after the date of serving.
(4) Therapeutic diets as ordered by the resident's physician
must be provided according to the service plan. Therapeutic
diets that cannot customarily be prepared by a lay person
must be calculated by a qualified dietician. Therapeutic
diets that can customarily be prepared by a person in a
family setting may be served by the assisted living
facility.
(5) Supplies of staple foods for a minimum of a four-day
period and perishable foods for a minimum of a one-day
period must be maintained on the premises.
(6) Food must be obtained from sources that comply with all
laws relating to food and food labeling. If food, subject to
spoilage, is removed from its original container, it must be
kept sealed, and labeled. Food subject to spoilage must also
be dated.
(7) Plastic containers with tight fitting lids are
acceptable for storage of staple foods in the pantry.
(8) Potentially hazardous food, such as meat and milk
products, must be stored at 45 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
Hot food must be kept at 140 degrees Fahrenheit or above
during preparation and serving. Food that is reheated must
be heated to a minimum of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
(9) Freezers must be kept at a temperature of 0 degrees
Fahrenheit or below and refrigerators must be 41 degrees
Fahrenheit or below. Thermometers must be placed in the
warmest area of the refrigerator and freezer to assure
proper temperature.
(10) Food must be prepared and served with the least
possible manual contact, with suitable utensils, and on
surfaces that have been cleaned, rinsed, and sanitized
before use to prevent cross-contamination.
(11) Facilities must prepare food in accordance with
established food preparation practices and safety
techniques.
(12) A food service employee, while infected with a
communicable disease that can be transmitted by foods, or
who is a carrier of organisms that cause such a disease or
while afflicted with a boil, an infected wound, or an acute
respiratory infection, must not work in the food service
area in any capacity in which there is a likelihood of such
person contaminating food or food-contact surfaces with
pathogenic organisms or transmitting disease to other
persons.
(13) Effective hair restraints must be worn to prevent the
contamination of food.
(14) Tobacco products must not be used in the food
preparation and service areas.
(15) Kitchen employees must wash their hands before
returning to work after using the lavatory.
(16) Dishwashing chemicals used in the kitchen may be stored
in plastic containers if they are the original containers in
which the manufacturer packaged the chemicals.
(17) Sanitary dishwashing procedures and techniques must be
followed.
(18) Facilities that house 17 or more residents must comply
with 25 TAC §§229.161-229.171 and §§229.173-229.175 (Texas
Food Establishment rules) and local health ordinances or
requirements must be observed in the storage, preparation,
and distribution of food; in the cleaning of dishes,
equipment, and work |
*From: Texas Department of Aging and Disability
Services (DADS) Licensing Standards for Assisted Living Facilities
Subchapter A, §92.41
Return to Code Index
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